good practice in youth information youth participation peer-to-peer reaching out
EUROPEAN YOUTH INFORMATION AND COUNSELLING AGENCY copyright © 2010 by ERYICA asbl good practice in youth information youth participation peer-to-peer reaching out
Reproduction or use of this publication is possible provided the source is acknowledged and permission is granted by the copyright holders. This project has been funded with the support from the European Commission. The publication reflects the views of the author only and the Commission cannot be held responsible for any use which may be made of the information contained therein. ERYICA EXPERTS Marc Boes, Mick Conroy, Johan Bertels. CONTRIBUTORS National Coordination and Development Centre of Youth Information and Counselling Services, Oulu, Finland; Zajednica ICM, Croatia; Youth Information Centre of Saint Petersburg, Russian Federation; aha – Tipps & Infos für junge Leute, Vorarlberg, Austria; Omladinska Nevladina Organizacija, Serbia; Young Scot, Scotland, the UK; MISSS - Mladinsko Informativno Svetovalno Sredisce, Slovenia; Forum MNE, Montenegro; Infojove - Balearic Islands, Spain; IJAB, Germany; Mallorca Centre de Joventut i Ocupació Ajuntament d’Andratx, Spain; CIDJ, France. PROJECT MANAGERS Anna Roganova and Florence Secula, under the supervision of Davide Capecchi, Director of ERYICA.
DESIGN Ismet Lisica, studiolisica.com
03 contents
introduction
youth participation 2.1 Background of Youth Participation 07 2.2 Introduction 08 2.3 Initiative Channel - E-democracy for young people FINLAND 10 2.4 All for You CROATIA 11 2.5 Regional Public Debates CROATIA 12 2.6 New Leaders of Youth Exchange RUSSIAN FEDERATION 13 2.7 Jugend & Politik - FrageRaum Politik AUSTRIA 14 2.8 Johnny on the spot SERBIA 15 2.9 Commissioned For Action SCOTLAND, THE UNITED KINGDOM 16 2.10 Further references 17
peer-to-peer education 3.1 Background of Peer-to-Peer Education 19 3.2 Introduction 20 3.3 Info-Peers AUSTRIA 23 3.4 Youth to Youth Phone SLOVENIA 24 3.5 EU Simulation Activity MONTENEGRO 25 3.6 Forums on School violence MONTENEGRO 26 3.7 Passa dels mals rotllos SPAIN 27 3.8 No Faster than life MONTENEGRO 28 3.9 Further references 29
reaching out 4.1 Background of Reaching out 31 4.2 Introduction 32 4.3 QR-Codes, mobile tagging GERMANY 33 4.4 Redes de Jóvenes SPAIN 34 4.5 Building Europe Together RUSSIAN FEDERATION 35 4.6 More Attention Please! SERBIA 36 4.7 Vocational guidance to young people with disabilities FRANCE 37 4.8 Further references 38
04 CONTENTS introduction
In 2008, ERYICA, the European Youth Information and Counselling Agency, received a grant from the Education, Audiovisual and Culture Executive Agency for a new project in the framework of the action 4.5 “Call for proposals for projects supporting information activities for young people and youth workers” of the Youth in Action programme. The funded project was entitled “A Better Youth Information for New Times” and foresaw as one of its major deliverables the publication of a booklet on good practice in youth information among the ERYICA members and partners.
The publication is a collection of good practice on “youth participation”, “peer-to-peer” and “reaching out” in the field of youth information, gathered from a call for contributions among ERYICA members. The project descriptions were chosen for their quality, innovation and demonstrated successful outcomes. They thus represent the actual trends and developments in youth information practice across Europe.
This publication aims at advertising at a European level youth information practices which are of a particularly innovative nature and which can serve as an inspiration for possible future projects or collaborations. Through this publication, ERYICA therefore encourages bilateral contacts for the development of cooperation between European youth information centres.
ERYICA would like to thank all the youth centres and the youth information experts who contributed to this publication. The present booklet reflects both their commitment to youth work and their high-level professionalism.
05 INTRODUCTION youth participation
06 2.1 Background of Youth Participation
“Participation is not an aim in itself, but an approach to becoming in Youth Information” was issued, by which are set the standards an active citizen. Participation is a means of taking an active role of young people’s involvement in youth information. Among other both in the development of one’s own environment and in European requirements, this document focuses on the direct involvement of co-operation”1. young people in the process of decision-making in the field of youth information, as well as on the needed organizational and political Since 2001 and the publication by the European Commission of the support to youth participation in youth information work4. White Paper “A New impetus for European Youth”2, participation and information were identified and approved by the Council of At last, the Youth Council of the European Commission, in its youth ministers as joint first priorities in European youth policies. Resolution of 27 November 2009, on a renewed framework for European cooperation in the youth field (2010-2018), encourages In line with this decision, the European Commission proposed in Member States and the Commission to take initiative in their 2003 a series of common objectives to encourage young people respective sphere of competences to “make an effective use of to become more involved and better informed. One of these information and communication technologies to broaden and objectives is clearly stating the need to increase “participation by deepen the participation of young people”5. It is a strong signal that young people in youth information, for example in the preparation a consensus on the undisputed importance of participation in youth and dissemination of information” based on the rationale that information work has been reached at a European level, and that it “better information for young people is a precondition for better will be increasingly relevant in the future developments of European participation and for the development of their potential as youth policy. individuals and citizens”3. 1 CDEJ 1997:7, The Participation of Young People. Strasbourg: Council of Europe Publishing. 2 http://europa.eu/legislation_summaries/education_training_youth/youth/c11055_en.htm Later on, additional steps have been taken at a European level 3 Council Resolution of 25 November 2003 on common objectives for participation by and to bring forward the importance of youth participation in youth information for young people [Official Journal C 295 of 05.12.2003],
This Charter, signed by 41 organisations in 29 different countries, demonstrates that the understanding of youth participation as an essential component of youth information work has trickled down to the national and organizational level, thereby showing ownership of this principle by youth information workers themselves.
At the General Assembly of the Youth Exchange held in Vienna, Austria, on 22nd April 2006, the “Rainbow Paper on Participation
07 BACKGROUND OF YOUTH PARTICIPATION 2.2 Introduction BY MICK CONROY University of Wales, Newport, the United Kingdom Go to the young people, live amongst them, start from where they these efforts become tokenistic and young people involved can be are and with where they want to go and of the best leaders the manipulated and showed off as trophies, decorating a local event young people will say “we did it ourselves”. where funders and other stakeholders are present. Anon Genuine participation approaches to engagement of young people The following examples of good practice illustrate the message within youth information work carry with them a great deal of risk of behind the statement above and demonstrate how young people apparent failure and possible conflict. This is especially so in cases can benefit from being involved in the planning, delivery, and where the desired outcomes for the young people may not match promotion of your information work with young people. Before those expected by the organisation or local authorities e.g. reducing reading the examples it is worth exploring a context for youth teenage pregnancies or tackling crime issues may not be high on participation within youth information networks. Article 12 of the the list of priorities of young people that you engage with. UN Convention on the Rights of the Child states that ‘Children and young people have a right to participate in the decision making A truly participative approach? processes that are relevant to their lives and a right to influence the decisions made in their regard within the family, school, and In the United Kingdom, a celebrated message in the process of community. participation is in seeing young people as ‘creators not consumers’ and that with this comes the notion of possibility and a chance of the Many youth organisations promoting participation use the UN young person becoming ‘something more’ as a result of intervention statement and it can be found prominent in most youth policy of your youth information work (Smith, 1980). In this sense, we documents that appear across Europe and beyond. However, can define a truly participative approach to be what is known as whilst it is important to embed participation into policies, of more ‘creative participation’. For Youth Information Work the use of this importance are the intentions towards implementation of these term can bring challenges in relation to allowing the young people policies into the everyday practice of youth information projects. themselves to be creators of information and involved in delivering These policies are not to be seen as ‘on the shelf’ policies so that services as we can see in other sections of this guide. we can ‘tick’ the participation box on our quality measurement e.g. peer-to-peer. forms. It is clearly evident from the practice examples shown in this guide that participation must go beyond the rhetoric and become This type of peer-to-peer work is embedded in principles of a process which is continuous and progressive and not a fixed participation with young people but is resource intensive and deliverable or one-off event. time intensive in order for it to be done in a truly participative way involving young people at all levels of the decision making process. So, we can see that participation has been a ‘buzz word’ for a while In summary, a definition for participation of young people for us in now and lies at the heart of youth information work practice and Youth Information Work lies in determining the extent to which our many events, seminars and practice guides (this one included!) organisation adopts the following values and implements them into have contributed many ideas and innovations around the topic. As a creative process. a result of this ‘swell’ there is a danger that many youth information organisations will make ‘knee-jerk’ reactions due to pressure on them to be seen to be ‘doing participation’. At worst some of
08 INTRODUCTION The participation Continuum At which point does your organisation work? Can you answer ‘yes’ for your organisation as to how you use The idea is that the further along the continuum your organisation participation? works, the more genuinely participative your work will be, and young people ‘know’ that they are valued and listened to. • Participation is a nurturing process which develops a culture where young people ‘feel’ part of your organisation Creative participation carries the message that young people are • Participation is a creative process whereby young people are not just citizens of the future but more importantly they are citizens active stakeholders in the youth information services delivered of NOW and that their involvement in identifying current information • Genuine participation is based on voluntary engagement of young needs, relevant delivery methods and individualised specific people and not via adult manipulation or the ‘smuggling in ’of content is paramount to developing a genuinely participative youth agendas without consent of the young people information service6.
The notion of voluntary engagement allows an element of choice for the If you wish to measure the extent of participation in your young people involved and means that they can decide at which level they organisation, a useful tool kit to measure participation has been wish to engage along the continuum below developed by the National Youth Agency in the UK.
This tool records the most important evidence of change, which is that from the children and young people themselves. It is essential that they tell their story in their words as evidence of dialogue and evidence of change. Using this tool can prove that things have changed to show that participation has been worth it. Prove it to the organisation, the funders and most importantly to the children and young people themselves. How were their voices heard? What happened next? What has changed for them now? And you can show how these fit with policy outcomes in your service.
To download the resource called ‘What’s Changed?’ go to www.nya.org.uk
6 References: SMITH, M (1980) Creators not Consumers. Re-discovering Social Education, NYA. UNITED NATIONS (1991) Convention on Rights of Child
09 INTRODUCTION 2.3 Initiative Channel. E-democracy for young people FINLAND Organisation National Coordination and Development Centre of E-democracy tool Initiative Channel is elaborated by the National Youth Information and Counselling Services, Oulu Coordination and Development Centre of Youth Information and Dates 2006: first version of the service; 2007: second version. This Counselling Services and Ponsi Interactive Ltd. with the support of service is now continuously developed as the Ministry of Education the Ministry of Education of Finland. is supporting this service. Number of Participants 92 municipalities in Finland, number of Evaluation users 4661, situation as of 04/2010 Youth Information Tool Online service: www.aloitekanava.fi With the help of the national web-based Initiative Channel young people can easily voice their ideas about bettering surroundings The Finnish municipalities involved with Initiative Channel generally in the communities of their region. If their ideas are approved by have existing online youth information services and Initiative the public they will lead to concrete projects facilitated by local Channel has been incorporated easily into the existing framework. governments and municipalities.
Description
Initiative Channel (www.aloitekanava.fi) was developed to fulfil the requirement for ways and means for young people to take part and participate in the handling of issues relating to local and regional youth work and policy as stipulated in the Youth Act. The service is part of the governmental Youth Policy Development Programme and has helped to spread online democracy to almost 100 municipalities around Finland. An initial idea has to be commented and supported by other people before it will become an initiative that is forwarded to local authorities for processing. The e-democracy tool makes it possible to track how the initiatives are processed in the municipality. A rock music choir for young people in Jyväskylä, clean beaches in Haukipudas, a skate park in Espoo are only some of the examples of concrete actions resulting from the initiatives.
All actors in the municipality (e.g. local policy-makers, organizations, youth councils) can ask questions via local Initiative Channel and young people can give their own opinion by commenting on issues. Moderating and maintaining the service is usually one of the tasks of local youth workers, youth information workers or administrative staff.
INITIATIVE CHANNEL - E-DEMOCRACY FOR YOUNG PEOPLE 10 For more information: Merja-Maaria Oinas [email protected] |Jaana Fedotoff [email protected] |Mika Pietilä [email protected] 2.4 All for You CROATIA Organisation Zajednica ICM 2009, which contributes to the spreading of the YIC network in Dates 27 November 2008 - 26 November 2009 Croatia. Number of Participants 600 Youth Information Tool Youth Information Knowledge Transfer • By involving 16 Youth information workers and volunteers from 8 Croatian YICs, the knowledge in YI work increased, providing Description additional quality in daily work.
The project, financed by the EU in the framework of the PHARE • Looking more locally, cross-sector advisory teams (formed by 2006 programme and implemented by PRONI Centre (founder of local stakeholders representatives) established in three YIC Regional info-centre Osijek, member of Zajednica ICM), combined in Croatia (Osijek, Vukovar and Sisak), the quality of YI work two themes: Youth Participation and Education and Transfer of is additionally raised especially on local level. By meeting Knowledge in YI Work from Europe and within Croatia. Two main regularly, discussing and sharing the information about young objectives were set: increasing the level of active participation and people enabled institutions and young people to jointly work integration of youth in social and political life as well as developing together towards a better communication and the creation of the civil society of Osijek-Baranja, Vukovar-Srijem and Sisak- platform for regular and accurate informing. Today, cross- Moslavina county. sector advisory teams present an example of good practice in YI work, which became recognized outside the borders of The program consisted of four parts: Croatia. 1. Development and implementation of the YIC in Vukovar and Sisak; • The number of visits in YICs increases every month, thus it justifies the need of the existence of such a place. In the final 2. Development of local cross-sector advisory teams within YIC evaluation, young people, beneficiaries of YIC Osijek, Vukovar Vukovar, Sisak and Osijek; and Sisak, stressed the importance of YIC in their local community, giving special emphasis to informing and non- 3. Implementation of ERYICA’s Training of Trainers programme formal education. “MBTC” for the Pool of Trainers in Croatia and creation and implementation of an educational module entitled “Capacity • Therefore, a new project financed by the EU entitled Development for YIC Leaders” for sustainable development of “EUphoria” and developed in partnership with the YIC in Croatia and up-grading the quality of YI workers and organisations (co-founders of the Association of YIC in Croatia), will enable further development of YI work through the 4. Public promotion campaign of YIC Osijek, Vukovar and Sisak. establishment of six Euro info corners within six YIC in Croatia.
Evoluation
The following results and recommendations were provided:
• Two new YIC (in Vukovar and Sisak) were opened in February
ALL FOR YOU 11 For more information: Goran Jelenic [email protected] www.icm.com.hr www.ayicc.eu 2.5 Regional Public Debates about New National Programme for Youth CROATIA Organisation Zajednica ICM Evaluation Dates 1 October 2008 - 1 November 2008 Number of Participants 600 This project’s transparent procedures gained trust with youth, Youth Information Tool Public debates institutions and local government, which led to further appointing Regional YICs in coordination and dissemination of public issues for Description youth (e.g. Regional YIC in Rijeka was appointed main coordinator for the process for City of Rijeka youth programme development). The project theme was Youth Participation in Development of Youth Policies. Public debates on regional level were planned in partnership with the Ministry responsible for youth (Ministry of Family, Veterans’ Affairs and Intergenerational Solidarity) in the process of creation of a new national programme for youth.
In Split, a public debate for Youth in South Croatia region was held on October 20th 2008. There were 60 participants on the presentation of NPY who later worked in separated groups according to their interest and knowledge.
In Osijek (East of Croatia), Regional public debate was held in Regional YIC in Osijek on October 17th 2008. Representatives of youth were present, as well as representatives from local government, institutions, companies and media.
Regional YIC Rijeka organized three debates in three counties (Istarska, Ličko-senjska, Primorsko-goranska) with the respective local partners. The first one was held in Pazin, with the support of NGO ZUM and the City of Pazin. The Gospić debate followed, organized with NGO Pokretač and Ličko-senjska county, and the third one was held in Rijeka, organized with City of Rijeka. The concept aimed at reaching out to local communities in the region and empowering local partners by actively participating in this project and taking main role in organizing the debate in their local community.
All suggestions and conclusions were sent to the youth policy representatives at the national level.
REGIONAL PUBLIC DEBATES ABOUT NEW NATIONAL PROGRAMME FOR YOUTH 12 For more information: Sasa Dupor [email protected] www.icm.com.hr www.ayicc.eu 2.6 New Leaders of Youth Exchange RUSSIAN FEDERATION Organisation Youth Information Centre of Saint Petersburg Dates 1 September 2008 - 30 September 2008 Number of Participants 50 Youth Information Tool Seminars and trainings for young people
Description
The goal of the project was to raise the level of youth participation in society. The core activity of the project was to form a group of young people for training, which provided them with the knowledge and skills needed to conduct youth exchanges on the themes of tolerance, citizenship, and human rights.
A two day seminar was organized. The program included: exchange of experiences in the field of youth exchanges, a discussion of the value of youth work (human rights, intercultural education, etc.), demands to the leaders and organizers of youth exchanges, project management, sources of financing, risk management, evaluation and follow-up.
Evaluation
50 young people were trained and started to act as multipliers on a peer-to-peer level by promoting the values of participation and active citizenship.
5 youth exchanges were organized as a follow-up of this project.
NEW LEADERS OF YOUTH EXCHANGE 13 For more information: Ruzanna Ivanyan [email protected] 2.7 Jugend & Politik - FrageRaum Politik AUSTRIA Organisation aha – Tipps & Infos für junge Leute an impression of the different party positions and the politicians’ Dates 29 May 2009 - 26 June 2009 personalities. Number of Participants 210 Youth Information Tool Workshops At the end, the young participants and the politicians met in the plenary. The so called “GegenFragen – Counter Questions“ part Description allowed the participants to ask the politicians private questions as well. The politicians could also ask questions. The project “Jugend & Politik – Youth & Politics” consists of a series of workshops, events and activities for young voters. It aims to It was the young people themselves that had come up with the increase information literacy among young people, to help them to idea for this event. They wanted to take a close look at political make knowledge-based decisions and to motivate them to actively parties and their programmes on the one hand and to get to know participate in society. The main target group are young people from politicians in quite a “private” environment on the other hand. 14 to 16 year-olds. Participation of Young People Politics at first hand or “FrageRaum Politik” was one of the events in the framework of this project. Young people had the opportunity The inputs and the participation of young people are the basis of to meet politicians and to get to know them personally in direct the project “Youth & Politics”. In the preparation phase a young contact. facilitator team was created. They facilitated both events. Media and the press were not allowed at the events. Young people themselves Aims reported on the events. One of the main aims was to focus on youth participation and to organise the event with as little help from adults • Young people get in contact with politicians in a lively, youth as possible. oriented atmosphere, get informed and raise the topics relevant to them in the exchange with the politicians. Evaluation • Politics can be experienced in practice. • Promotion of information literacy and communication. • The young people felt appreciated and taken seriously by the politicians. The event had an after effect, for it inspired lively Programme discussions. • Political topics relevant to the life of young people were discussed, After a brief introduction to the topic „Politics“, the young hence politics became concrete. participants were divided into four groups. Together with the adult • At the “GegenFragen” part personal topics predominated, it was facilitators they elaborated questions for the politicians. In each of a relaxed chill out. the four “FrageRäume – Question Rooms” the young people met a politician of one of the four parties in the regional parliament of The evaluation among the participating youngsters showed that the province of Vorarlberg. In the “Question Rooms”, they asked 95% of them liked the event very much, 90% would recommend the questions they had prepared. After 20 minutes the politicians their friends to participate in similar events. changed the “Question Rooms”. That way the young people got
JUGEND & POLITIK - FRAGERAUM POLITIK 14 For more information: Julia Moosmann [email protected] 2.8 Youth Exchange Johnny on the spot SERBIA Organisation Omladinska Nevladina Organizacija ONO • Music workshops – outcome: a performance and an international Dates 14 February 2008 - 21 February 2008 song (which will include multicultural approach) Number of Participants 49 + 7 youth information workers • Newspaper workshops – outcome: a newspaper/ brochure about Youth Information Tool Youth Exchange youth exchange and youth rights, learning by doing
Description All workshops had youth rights as the main theme. It was worked on using different methods such as individual and group work, The project “Johnny on the spot”7 gathered 42 young people from 6 work in small groups, simulation, role play, lectures, brainstorming, European countries (Macedonia, Germany, Bulgaria, Serbia, Albania presentation, visual aids etc. and Turkey) on an 8-day youth exchange in Novi Sad - Sremski Karlovci, Serbia. Project activities consisted of various creative Achievements and interesting workshops. The aim was to inform both the young participants and their environment on youth rights. Our wish was to The main expected impact on participants was to become aware of discover the way young people perceive their rights. and willing to assert and implement youth rights.
Additional objectives were: to raise the participants’ awareness All of the participants had the opportunity to challenge their about various cultures and living styles of European youth, to create attitudes towards people from different cultures, and to gain new a common feeling of European citizenship based on mutual youth points of view. rights and to raise young people’s tolerance by having them meet ‘differences’ in a safe and supporting environment. All activities in We promoted this youth exchange through our mailing lists and the exchange were filmed and as a result, we have a movie. Also, a electronic newsletters and by stickers and booklets that were photo workshop resulted in post cards on youth rights. All partners made of materials created during exchange. Most important is the got a task to present results of the exchange in their countries and brochure, which includes not only an impression of youth exchange to contribute in raising awareness about youth rights issues in their but also important information about human and youth rights. environments. 7 A ‘Johnny on the spot’ is a man or youth who may be relied upon to be at a certain stated place when wanted and on whose assured appearance confident expectation may be based. It is not sufficient The workshops done during the youth exchange were: that an alert and trustworthy individual, to be thought deserving of the name ‘Johnny on the spot,’ should restrict his beneficent activity to the matter of being at a certain place when needed. He must, in addition, render such service and attend to such business when there as the occasion may require, • Discrimination & Prejudice workshop – outcome: development of and such a ‘Johnny’ must be on the spot not merely to attend to the business of others, but also to look after his own. Hence an individual who is prompt and farseeing, alive to his own interests and keenly participants, raising awareness about human rights sensible of means for promoting his own advantage is a ‘Johnny on the spot.’ • UN Model Simulation workshop - UN model in relation to youth rights and youth participation, role play • Photo workshops – outcome: photos / post cards on the topic of youth rights and human rights in general, following of International Declaration of Human rights • Video workshops – outcome: a movie that will be used to promote youth rights in a wider environment
YOUTH EXCHANGE JOHNNY ON THE SPOT 15 For more information: Ljiljana Cumura Zizic [email protected] 2.9 Commissioned For Action SCOTLAND, THE UNITED KINGDOM Organisation Young Scot • Accessibility and availability of alcohol Dates 2009 • Leisure and lifestyle choices Number of Participants 16 • Education • Impact of passive drinking on young people and the need for Description emotional support • Personal safety Sixteen young people have recently presented 38 detailed • Marketing and promotion of alcohol and how that is regulated recommendations to the Scottish Government to suggest how to • Social marketing change Scotland’s relationship with alcohol. Young Scot were asked • Treatment services by the Minister for Public health and Sport to deliver this ground- breaking, innovative approach to young people influencing decisions about major social problems.
Commissions are usually made up of experts, heads of business, voluntary organisation leaders and other policy-makers. The Scottish Youth Commission on Alcohol is made up of 14-22 year olds from a wide range of social backgrounds and from across the country.
This bold move by the Scottish Government is a serious attempt to address the wider problems of alcohol abuse. The World Health Organisation reports that worldwide alcohol contributes to approximately 3% of deaths, yet in Scotland this figure is 5%. While estimates vary, the Chief Medical Officer for Scotland reported to Youth Commissioners that alcohol costs the Scottish economy £2.48 to £4.64 billion per year.
Over 40 young people applied to be on the commission from an open call publicised in the press and through Young Scot’s networks. Anyone could apply – you didn’t need any special skills or qualifications – simply a desire to do something about the situation.
Following a selection event, the Youth Commissioners got down to work. All the commissioners are volunteers and they have put in a huge amount of time and effort to take evidence from experts and investigate issues related to alcohol. The investigation covered the following issues:
COMMISSIONED FOR ACTION 16 For more information: [email protected] 2.10 Further references
General Assembly of the Youth Exchange, European Seminar on ‘Participation of Young People in Youth Information Work’ (2006). The Rainbow Paper On Participation in Youth Information. Austria.
Kovacheva Siyka. (2000) Keys to youth participation in Eastern Europe, Council of Europe. Directorate of Youth and Sport, Council of Europe Publishing.
UNICEF/Commonwealth Youth Programme Participation Toolkits. (2006) Book One - Participation in the Second Decade of Life: What and Why? The Commonwealth Secretariat. UK*
UNICEF/Commonwealth Youth Programme Participation Toolkits. (2006) Book Two - Adolescent and Youth Participation: Adults Get Ready! The Commonwealth Secretariat. UK*
UNICEF/Commonwealth Youth Programme Participation Toolkits. (2006) Book Three - Adolescent Participation and the Project Cycle. The Commonwealth Secretariat. UK*
UNICEF/Commonwealth Youth Programme Participation Toolkits. (2006) Book Four - Tools for Adolescent and Youth Participation. The Commonwealth Secretariat. UK*
All books accessible from:
17 FURTHER REFERENCES peer-to-peer
18 3.1 Background of Peer-to-Peer
Peer-to-peer in youth information involves young people in Moving further towards the recognition of peer education as a disseminating information to their peers. While a medium of fundamental practice in youth work, the Council Resolution of 27 youth participation, it is also a complementary method to an adult November 2009 on a renewed framework for European cooperation informer. Peer-to-peer informers have clear credibility advantages in the youth field (2010-2018) recommended “mutual learning” when it comes to certain issues. Generally, young people are more as an implementation instrument in the youth field. Peer learning trusting and comfortable with their peers when informed about activities were thereby suggested as one of the means to carry out sensitive issues like sexuality or drugs. mutual learning in the different Member States. This document also encourages the European countries to use peer-learning activities During the 1990s, peer education has become an increasingly in the framework of their cooperation. popular means of information work with young people. Labelled as 8 http://www.coe.int/t/dg4/youth/Source/Resources/Publications/DOmino_en.pdf “peer education”, “peer intervention” or “peer-to peer”, it originated 9 “White Paper on Youth”, p51 from the USA as a part of school curriculum and was spread out 10 “White Paper on Youth”, p47 later to Europe, mainly in the UK and in Scandinavia. It started in schools as a mentoring program and was later developed as an information means, mostly used in health promotion.
On a number of occasions, the value of the peer-to peer approach in the field of youth information work has been recognized at an international level, in key documents and pilot projects from European institutions.
The 1996 landmark campaign of the Council of Europe against racism and intolerance, entitled “All Different/all equal”, provided resources and educational material for peer education on issues related to exclusion. The DOmino manual whose objective is “to use peer group education as a means to fight racism, xenophobia, anti-Semitism and intolerance” is one of the major outputs of this campaign and is a compilation of theoretical background on peer group education, project descriptions and stories from young people, aiming at giving assistance to people planning to work on peer education8.
The 2001 “White Paper on Youth” from the European Commission made public the proposals from the consultations on the involvement of young which repeatedly mentioned peer group information and counselling as a recommended method in the field of health and drug prevention9 and sex education10.
19 BACKGROUND OF PEER-TO-PEER 3.2 Introduction Adapted from a presentation BY JOHAN BERTELS, In Petto, Belgium The place of peer-to-peer in youth work themselves?
The involvement of peers in youth projects implies the deployment Secondly, health-promotion programmes are well received by of young people for young people, mostly in the field of sex the young people if those who deliver the message are accepted education, counselling or project design. The use of peers in youth by the target-group. For children and young people, it has been work has yielded the most significant results in three specific areas shown that the deployment of peers is “of particular importance for of youth work that are peer counselling, peer projects and peer acceptability”. education. Many academic researchers recommend that health promotion be • Peer-counselling programmes are generally characterised by a component of personal development not only in the cognitive, but person-to-person advice on particular subjects. Peer-counsellors also in the emotional and social sphere. As such, the use of peer can help advice-seekers in some form of difficulty, such as educators in health promotion achieves to add these dimensions pregnancy, drug problems, etc. through closer inter-personal contacts. Particularly during the adolescence, life-styles and behaviour are strongly influenced by • Peer projects are initiated for specific campaigns and always the peer-group which contributes to the formation of personality. strongly related to the campaign. The contents of the projects are Teenager peer educators impart possibilities of identification, geared to the needs of young people. They can take many forms, familiarize other young people with life-styles and allow the ranging from the performance of a play to the setting-up and “rehearsal” of self-presentation. organisation of a sex-education stand at a school. Basic principles of peer-to-peer programmes • “Peer education in the health sphere means teaching or sharing information, values and forms of behaviour by members of the A peer education programme requires a high level of organisation same age or status group” (Siaca, 1987). and support to the young people which are essential to the durability and successful outcomes of the programme. Some basic principles The potential and challenges of peer involvement in youth work, and should be followed when working with young people and training especially in youth information, were made obvious from a number them to become peer educators. of evaluation studies11 which have shown that the goal of acquisition of knowledge by the target-group is indeed attained, even if changes • Young peer educators need support! in attitude and behaviour are far more difficult to achieve and demonstrate. Organisations setting-up peer programmes should pay attention to some elements to support the young peer educators. Trainings Despite the difficulty to show evidence-based results, there exist must be organised for peer educators and shall include not only strong arguments in favour of peer education. Firstly, young people accurate information on the subject(s) of the programme, training give advice and support their peers, inform them about youth- elements on communication and social skills, but also aspects that specific questions and problems, and are active as multipliers for are less linked to non-formal education, such as self-experience, a their age-group. Who does speak the language of young people, reflection on values, norms and standards in roles and behaviours, who is familiar with their values and norms, if not the young people and finally some didactics methods.
20 INTRODUCTION 3.2
The goals of the programme must be clear to the young educators. Similarly, the idea of ownership is very important in the training of The question of the organisation’s expectation from the programme young advisers. The professional staff does not teach them many in terms of impact must be raised and well-considered given new things but make them realize what they already know and the difficulty to assess clear changes in attitudes and behaviours support their ideas. In other words, you do not make young advisers, among the young people advised by a peer educator. they already are, in the sense that they are already helping friends and that it is already a part of their personality to be opened to The resources to be allocated to this programme should not be questions. The training is there to make them aware about their neglected as peer educators need time and support, which has knowledge and to give them more self confidence and tools to an impact on an organisation’s budget. A resource person for the support other people even better. young educator, such as a peer educator trainer, should also be available. The essential quality of peer-to-peer work is an informal and spontaneous attitude. Being a young advisor is an attitude, which One initial training is not enough: the referent person among the states that you must inform yourself before you take a decision. It organisation’s staff must keep contact with young educators even also implies that you should know what your limits are, what you are in-between events, through social networks or through any other like and do not like. It means also that you have a reactive attitude means especially by mobile phone when they are in a situation that tells you what to do when a situation goes wrong. when they need immediate support. Young advisors are involved with you as much as you are involved with them. It is therefore very • The question of responsibility important to create and maintain a link and a continuous support. In line with the limits of young educators, the question of • Being a peer educator: an attitude responsibility must also be clearly addressed. As an essential principle of peer education is that young educators should stay Young educators should be seen as partners; as such they must themselves and decide according to their knowledge and the be taken seriously and not be used as “window dressing”. When awareness of their limitations, who is responsible towards the it comes to the pedagogy of the peer education programme, it general target group of a peer education programme? The limits is worth keeping in mind that there is neither “right” message of what can be expected from young educators must be clearly to spread nor “right” way to act. The idea of a peer education defined within the organisation but also in discussion with the young programme is not about spreading messages formulated by people themselves. When confronted to a difficult situation, one adults by using the young advisors as “tools”. The young educators must keep in mind that collective thinking on solutions is important. should be granted the freedom to decide how to deal with a piece A good way would be gather all young advisors with professional of information or a situation. Young advisors are not provided staff and brainstorm a solution to a problem. It is important to with “messages “to give but they are asked to give feedback on search together for solutions because in peer education, there is the situations they encountered and how they manage to convey very seldom a “right way” to behave. The young advisors should not information. In addition, by taking the young educators seriously and be made to feel responsible: they have the right to make mistakes. not as the instrument of the adults’ messages, the young advisors will feel this difference and act upon it differently.
21 INTRODUCTION 3.2
• Recruiting and keeping young educators active 11 School and training materials of all kinds (Allen, 1976); Smoking and alcohol (Perry,1989); Drug use (Marklund, 1988); HIV/AIDS prevention (Fazekas & Scheipel, 1993, Houioux & Piette, 1993); While there is no definite age limit, the recruitment of young Prevention of unwanted pregnancies (Phelps et al, 1994); Prevention of sexually transmitted advisors can start early in teenage years even if some criticism diseases (Hillman et al, 1991); Nutrition and eating disorders (Kirkley et al;, 1988) object that a too young age can be detrimental to both educators and target group of the information programme. However, it appears that most of the youngsters who commit themselves in peer-to-peer work had their own experience of going and asking peers before.
The biggest challenge is to keep young educators active and involved along the programme when no salary is given to them and material rewards are low. Thinking of how to reward peer educators is therefore crucial. The idea of a certification of peer-to- peer educators is often mentioned as a retribution for committed young people. While this certification can prove to be very attractive, especially for young people with low qualification, the certification process is in many ways contradictory to the essential quality of peer-to-peer work, which consists in informal and spontaneous attitude. This subject of certification should thus be open to discussion on a case-by-case basis in each organisation.
At last, two important elements to keep your peer educators involved are that mutual trust should lay at the foundation of the whole programme, as well as a great deal of fun for the young people. The way they are being treated by the staff of your organization as well as the support available for them, either from professional individuals or from the group, also play a considerable role in making sure that the young educators are still motivated to take part in the programme.
Peer work makes particular sense in youth information work as it requires empowering the young people and recognizing their positive qualities. This way, youth information builds itself on the knowledge and capacities of the young people while their participation to a well-structured peer education programme also supports their self confidence and self-esteem.
22 INTRODUCTION 3.3 Info-Peers AUSTRIA Organisation aha – Tipps & Infos für junge Leute Fact box Dates Since 2005 • Young people prefer to receive information by young people and Description like the different way young people use to provide the information • Feedback helps with market research, i.e. we can offer products In 2005 the youth information centre of the Austrian province of and services relevant to young people and rapidly react to trends Vorarlberg, aha – Tipps & Infos für junge Leute, worked out a • Participation/Involvement creates responsibility concept which includes young people in the information activities – the Info-Peers. The basic idea is that young people inform young people. A new information channel, also for not so widespread topics, was created and it raises curiosity and interest among young people. The Info-Peers serve as an “antenna” to get feedback from young people on the existing activities and on their wishes and interests as well as on trends.
Info-Peers are upper secondary school pupils between 15 and 18 who during a school year (September to June) inform their fellow pupils on topics covered by the youth information centre. Once a month the Info-Peers come to the youth information centre to collect new information material and to give feedback about their experience. In the year 2009/2010 21 Info-Peers are “in action” at 10 schools in Vorarlberg.
In a start workshop the Info-Peers are trained to “reach out” and to do “market research” among the target groups of the youth information centre. They are also trained in communication and presentation techniques.
The Info-Peers are an invaluable source of input which have led and will lead the youth information centre to offer new services and create new information products with the aim to better adapt the centre’s activities to the needs of the target group.
INFO-PEERS 23 For more information: Nicole Franceschini-Gunz, aha Bludenz [email protected] | Magdalena Holzer, aha Bregenz [email protected] | www.aha.or.at 3.4 Youth to Youth Phone SLOVENIA Organisation MISSS Mladinsko Informativno Svetovalno Sredisce Slovenije Dates The project is implemented since 1993 Number of Participants 353 (2008), 450 (2009) + 14 peer counsellors + 3 mentors Youth Information Tool Phone, e-mail, chat counselling
Description
The Youth to Youth Phone includes activities such as peer-to- peer phone counselling, counselling via e-mail and chat. Peer counsellors have also created a Facebook group which they use to inform young people about their activities.
The aim of the project is to motivate young people to participate in peer-to-peer activities and improve their social and communication skills.
Young people are involved in every phase of the project - planning, executing, promoting and evaluating. They have created leaflets, a logo and research on peer-to-peer counselling.
Our future plan is to create a youth to youth web site.
Evaluation
The following results were noted: recognition of the project among young people, use of new technology and social networks popular with young people, new logo, research on peer-to-peer counselling.
YOUTH TO YOUTH PHONE 24 For more information: Simona Šabić | Tanja Novaković [email protected] | Matjaž Medvešek [email protected]
3.5 EU Simulation Activity -‘Plan Spiele’ MONTENEGRO Organisation Forum MNE Dates 1 November 2008 - 30 November 2008 Number of Participants 30 Youth Information Tool Role plays and simulation game
Description
The project involved 30 high school students in simulating the work of the EU institutions in the building of the Montenegrin Parliament. This was the first time that the project had taken place in Montenegro and that it was run solely by young people. IFA (German Institute for foreign cultural cooperation), Studio DEUTSCH, and Centre for civic education MNE cooperated.
Evaluation
The simulation process was successfully finished. 30 young people could get insight into how decision making processes in the EU are run by discussing EU enlargement issues, for example. The President of the national parliament, the German ambassador and a representative of the Ministry for European Integration gave speeches and offered dialogue to participants. Ten best participants got awarded with the possibility to participate in the regional EU Plan Spiele. For some young people this was the first time to publicly participate which greatly affected their self esteem and self confidence.
EU SIMULATION ACTIVITY -‘PLAN SPIELE’ 25 For more information: Tamara Krivokapic [email protected] 3.6 Forums on School violence MONTENEGRO Organisation Forum MNE Dates 1 November 2008 - 31 December 2008 Followed up by a similar project in 2009 Number of Participants 76 Youth Information Tool School forums
Description
Young people, as well as a wider public, discussed the issue of School Violence during the year, which resulted in forums on this topic, organised in 3 secondary schools in Podgorica, Montenegro. The forums were organised with students, teachers, and parents. The aim of the project was to raise awareness of causes and consequences of violence on different levels (peer-to-peer, teacher- student/teacher, etc.), and to come to concrete proposals for action which would lead to combating the problem.
The project was followed up with another one on the same topic, which involved another 4 schools in Podgorica in 2009. It consisted of forums (in schools and on internet) and public competition in creative works on the topic of violence. The results of this project, in which 598 young people participated, were presented at the final conference.
Evaluation
This project and its follow up directly involved a significant number of young people and confirmed the existence of powerful creativity and contemplation among young population, especially in schools. Cooperation with the partners in the community ensured the long term effects and open space for new ideas.
FORUMS ON SCHOOL VIOLENCE 26 For more information: Dragana Papic [email protected] 3.7 Peer-to-peer project education Passa dels mals rotllos SPAIN Organisation Infojove - Balearic Islands Evaluation Dates Initial project in 2008; 2nd version of the project in 2010; a third project in foreseen in 2011. Health professionals interviewed older students at the end of the Number of Participants 80 + 6 trainers + 8 peers project to get their input about their training and about the way the Youth Information Tool Role plays and simulation game peer educators taught the younger students. Younger students are also tested about their health knowledge to assess their increase Description of competencies in this area. They were also asked to report on the experience of being trained by other students and not by adults. The Infojove-Balearic Islands has developed a sexual education program overall feedback from evaluation was that younger students receive called “Peer-to-Peer” located in high schools. It was implemented well the information when older students are seen as referent. in two stages: first health professionals trained 8 older students (16-17 years old while they are in 3rd class of secondary school) during 10 hours about sexuality, contraception, pregnancy, Sexual Transmitted Diseases etc; and then the older students taught for 4 hours the younger students on what they had learned. Next year, when the students are in 4th class of secondary school, they will teach younger students (13-14, 2nd class) about these items during 4h.
PEER-TO-PEER PROJECT EDUCATION PASSA DELS MALS ROTLLOS 27 For more information: Sergi Pallerols Beltran [email protected] | Laura Torrandell Pedrera [email protected] 3.8 Not Faster than life MONTENEGRO Organisation Forum MNE Dates 1 March 2008 - 30 June 2008 Number of Participants 400 Youth Information Tool Open call for artwork, public discussion
Description
The previous year, many young people were victims of traffic accidents caused by fast driving. Therefore Forum MNE, in cooperation with relevant institutions, launched the traffic safety project called Not Faster than Life. It aimed to raise awareness of the problem, while, at the same time, promoting preventive steps.
The campaign consisted of an open call aimed at young people (12 - 25) to send an essay, a painting, a graffiti and a comic strip on the topic ‘Not Faster than Life’, and of Forums – public discussions on the subject of youth safety in the traffic. The results of the campaign were presented during the Youth Festival organised by Forum MNE in May 2008. During the event, awards were announced and given to young authors; the best works were exhibited; and traffic safety facts were presented.
Evaluation
400 young people participated, 19 schools supported the campaign, and the campaign coordinator was invited to be a member of a work group for creating LFA for a national traffic safety strategy. In 2009, another campaign was launched.
NOT FASTER THAN LIFE 28 For more information: Dragana Papic [email protected] 3.9 Further references
European Commission White Paper (2001): A New Impetus for European Youth. Belgium.
Tammi, Lynne & Green, Susie. PEERing In, PEERing Out: Peer Education Approach In Cultural Diversity Projects. SALTO-Youth Cultural Diversity Resource Centre.
UNESCAP Social Development Division (SDD), (2003) Life Skills Training Guide for Young People: HIV/AIDS and Substance Use Prevention. Module 1 - Peer Education. Non-country Specific Publication. < http://www.unodc.org/pdf/youthnet/action/message/escap_peers_01.pdf>
UNFPA/Y-PEER, (2005) Youth Peer Education Toolkit, “The Training of Trainers Manual”. United Nations Population Fund, USA.
UNFPA/Y-PEER, (2005) Youth Peer Education Toolkit, “Standards for Peer Education Programmes”. United Nations Population Fund, USA.
UNFPA/Y-PEER, (2005) Youth Peer Education Toolkit, “Theatre-Based Techniques for Youth Peer Education: A Training Manual”. United Nations Population Fund, USA.
UNFPA/Y-PEER, (2005) Youth Peer Education Toolkit, “Performance Improvement: A Resource for Youth Peer Education Managers”. United Nations Population Fund, USA.
UNFPA/Y-PEER, (2005) Youth Peer Education Toolkit, “Assessing the Quality of Youth Peer Education Programmes”. United Nations Population Fund, USA.
United Nation General Assembly Resolution (1996). World Programme of Action for Youth to the Year 2000 and Beyond, A/RES/50/81.
UNODC, (2003) Using peer-to-peer strategies for drug abuse prevention
Youth Peer Education Network, (2008)
Youth and the United Nations. Ten Steps to National Youth Policy Formulation.
29 FURTHER REFERENCES reaching out
30 4.1 Background of Reaching out12
Outreach work with young people has its origins in the activities of of guidelines for the evaluation of outreach work14. Later, in 2003, nineteenth century philanthropic organisations which attempted the Pompidou Group, an intergovernmental body located within the to draw young people into a particular service or activity, to deliver Council of Europe and working to fight against drug misuse and a particular message to them, or to exert influence upon them. drug trafficking, released a manual on “Outreach work with young This work was concerned with the health and moral development people, young drug users and young people at risk”15. of lower class children and young people and also with ‘child rescue’. Detached youth work endeavours to provide a broad-based These successive projects are a good indication that outreach work ‘social education’, normally at the behest of, and largely in a form has proven to be a successful tool but also that it require resources determined by, young people on their own territory. and commitment to obtain significant results.
12 Adapted from a contribution from Mick Conroy, during the 2009 ERYICA Seminar in Rotterdam on “Outreach work is normally related to services which are available Youth Information. elsewhere and is generally aimed at feeding young people in to 13 http://www.youthlink.co.uk/webs/245/documents/2DetachedDefinitions.pdf 14 http://www.emcdda.europa.eu/publications/manuals/outreach those services. 15 https://wcd.coe.int/com.instranet.InstraServlet?Index=no&command=com.instranet. CmdBlobGet&InstranetImage 867631&SecMode=1&DocId=1266534&Usage=2 Whilst it can and does take place on young people’s own territory, it can also include work in existing youth facilities, educational institutions or in festivals and commercial settings.
It is characterised by purposeful interaction between youth workers and young people and involves contact, information giving, and the invitation to join existing or proposed youth programmes and other services designed with them in mind”13.
Outreaching can display very innovative ways to get in contact with young people, should it be through traditional means such as posters and flyer or through more recent, Internet-based such as social networks or other websites.
At a European level, outreach activities have long been identified as an approach to achieve widespread impact among the youth, mostly in the field of drug prevention.
The Council of Europe first released a manual in 1996 on “Outreach work with drug user: principles and practices”, where outreach is advocated for as a useful tool within a broader health promotion strategy. In 2001, the European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction (EMCDDA) published a manual establishing a set
31 BACKGROUND OF REACHING OUT 4.2 Introduction BY MARC BOES, Vereniging van JIP’s and ERYICA President Public services in our societies are not organised in a reaching out can be important too”. Participation is a way to involve young people, way. If you need something you go to some building which is open at to share responsibilities and stimulate them to take good care of set times and you get it. Logical thought behind this is the fact that our society. Or in the words of Mischa de Winter “This is our world, you, as a citizen, have the profit because you need something and here you have it, you can influence it, change it a bit, but please take the service can provide it. This makes it only naturally that you are good care of it”17. To make this work, you need to involve more than the one who has to do the action. To organize it like this is efficient. only the happy few. This means that participation should have many When you need surgery, you are going to the hospital instead of faces and should always fit the interest and needs of the different having the surgeon, his crew and all their equipment move to your target groups. house: it is obviously the way to do it. When it comes to social inclusion it goes without saying that you In a commercial setting, this is totally different. Companies who should reach out. To include all but only those who are willing to want to sell you stuff are definitely reaching out. They are on your show up on Monday morning at 9.00 a.m., would be a contradiction television, handing out leaflets on the streets, having smart viral in terminis. In my 25 years of experience in youth work, including campaigns and following you on your Facebook. That is only logical, the work in the underprivileged areas, I found out that one of the in their case the benefit is for them. They earn money with it. main causes of unwanted behaviour, is a lack of self-esteem and the feeling of being an outcast. Social inclusion of so-called “hard So why should youth information services do outreach activities? to reach” young people can be done more successful by using There are youth information centres where you can go, leaflets to be reaching out activities. picked up and plenty of information available on the internet. It is the young person who needs the information so it is their responsibility Youth information is in general innovative. It does not come as to come into action. The answer to the above mentioned question a surprise that there are many examples of youth information is so simple that it can easily be overlooked. In order to be effective outreach projects. Some of them are described in this booklet. we need to reach all young people, not only the ones who are able to Reaching out very often means that you will go and meet come in to action but also the ones who are lost and don’t know (any youngsters in their natural environment. This can mean in schools, more) what to do. If not than we would fall into the Filip Coussée youth centres but also shopping malls and “the street”. Recently dogma: “Unfortunately youth work seems to empower the powerful the social environment of young people is more and more on line. and police the vulnerable”16. The logical consequence is that youth information services are also provided through social media like Facebook, Twitter and others. Youth information is about prevention, participation and inclusion. Reaching out can mean gathering young people for a central activity Prevention means that we enable young people to have the right which is complying to their interest and has a low threshold or to information at the right time so they can make the right decisions. say it more clear, is FUN! Sometimes it can mean making existing Basically it is about enabling them to function in our by the day services accessible. Make them more attractive or even physically getting, more complex society. And that is changing the profit accessible for youth with special needs. principle. Well functioning newcomers to society are also a big interest for society itself. People who don’t function cause problems Reaching out youth information is not a gadget. It is a service to all and it often costs a lot of money to get them on the right track again. young people and a necessary condition to involve all. Reaching out youth information is one important way of working that makes youth Participation is not another word for “Hey, if you do it our way you information a valuable part of youth work.
16 Filip Coussée; The history of youth work in Europe; The relevance of youth work history; COE 2009 17 32 INTRODUCTION Mischa de Winter; Glass Palace Conference (Helsinki) 2002 4.3 QR-Codes, mobile tagging GERMANY Organisation IJAB - Fachstelle für Internationale Jugendarbeit der The project definitely contributes to peer-to-peer because Bundesrepublik Deutschland youngsters are creating the information for the peer group, for Dates blu3@tt@ck started in October 2008; example details about events or information about places and the bar-code-reading is a new development which was tested in environment. The QR-Codes are spread over the whole city area. October 2009. In March 2010, we started to use codes which are posted on the meeting-places of youngsters. Number of Participants Visitors of our youth information centre and youngsters in the city. Youth Information Tool Mobile tagging, barcode reading with mobile phones.
Description
QR-Codes, which are placed on popular/typical meeting points of the youngsters, can be photographed with their mobile phones and get translated into a text. The necessary barcode-reading-program is broadcasted by a bluetooth-transmitter. Sending and using the program is for free. You can get the program in our local youth information centre via blu3@tt@ck (an information transmitted via Bluetooth technology).
Evaluation
The project is ongoing. Our first impression is that mobile phone users are excited about the technical aspects. We have the impression that the juvenile visitors of our youth information centre do not recognize flyers or posters very well but have a big interest in receiving news via their mobile phones.
For two years now, we have been using blu3@tt@ck for transmitting youth information. Our next step in this project is using QR-Codes for mobile phones. We hope that the youngsters better recognize the information by reading it on their mobile phones than seeing it on a poster.
FORUMS ON SCHOOL VIOLENCE 33 For more information: Mobile Beratung Flörsheim | Markus Singer | Mara Vorndran | Eddersheimer Straße 4, 65439 Flörsheim | [email protected] 4.4 Redes de Jóvenes SPAIN Organisation Mallorca Centre de Joventut i Ocupació young users in the centre. Ajuntament d’Andratx Dates 2006 This Internet-based channel to get in contact with young people Number of Participants 399 users added in contacts list is seen as complementary to other outreach activities performed 142 Average number of daily users in “physical” space, in the centre itself or in the street, in bars, in Youth Information Tool Internet: Messenger, Infomobil, website, cybercafés or associations... The Messenger project is also made blogs, etc... known to young people by physical outreach activities such as briefings in Municipal schools. Description Evaluation The project idea came from the willingness to keep young people informed of all matters concerning them at the municipality The participation of young people in community life is enhanced level and to receive their input. As we had at our disposal a tool through different types of activities and events. Our project is using with a strong impact given its widespread use among the young a communication means that is close to them, which keeps them people, namely the Internet, we decided to use instantaneous informed and at the same time, which allows them to voice their communication means to foster exchanges with the young users opinions and suggest ideas. Knowing each user individually is and to respond to their needs for information. essential to make the young people feel recognized in the project and encouraged to participate and provide input. The Youth Centre created its own user account in Messenger and invites young people to add themselves as its Messenger contact. Messenger also makes it possible to spread information about Through Messenger, each young person can choose to authorize the Youth Centre itself, making it more popular among our target the Youth Centre to send him or her information on its services population. and activities. The young people are always invited to give their views, suggestions, and to ask their questions. Thereby, the Youth Centre provides continuous online support to general and specific information and the young people have a more direct means of contact and communication with the Centre.
Through Messenger and also in other “virtual spaces” such as websites and blogs, the Youth Centre can appropriately disseminate the newsletter “What?” (“Qué?”). The young people are also provided with information about various activities (workshops, outings, Youth Week, open night...). The information is selected in coordination with the professionals of the Youth Centre and of other departments in the field of youth, culture, education, sports, social services ... The young people are also invited to provide input, thereby promoting the sense of ownership and the involvement of
REDES DE JÓVENES 34 For more information: Miquel Angel Marroig [email protected] 4.5 Building Europe Together! RUSSIAN FEDERATION Organisation Youth Information Centre of Saint Petersburg Dates 1 September - 1 May 2009 Number of Participants 10 Youth Information Tool Study visits to EU countries
Description
The main goal of the project was to improve the quality of Russian youth information work by integrating the approaches, principles, values and methods of the European youth work. The beneficiaries of the project were youth information workers actively involved in youth work, willing and able to prepare youth projects.
The project included the following activities: a study visit to Norway and another one to Sweden, two evaluation meetings and the publication of the report. The study visits facilitated the participants’ programme “Youth in action” and “Our Nordic home” youth understanding of the core directions, approaches and methods of exchange). It was also a good way to discover different cultural and Norwegian and Swedish youth work. Also, partnerships with local social realities connected to youth work. NGOs and GOs were established for implementing mutual youth projects like youth exchanges, internships, seminars, trainings, etc. Thereby, 10 people became more professional in the field of European youth work. Evaluation
The main positive outcome was that we strengthened our cooperation with existing partners and found new ones.
For the hosting organizations it was a good opportunity to understand the realities of Russian youth work and policy and to check their interests in cooperation with Russia. For our Norwegian partners it was an option to find a possible hosting organization in Russia that could manage a project promoting networking.
For us it was a good opportunity to take the first steps towards the large scale of EU funded projects. We also planned some more simple steps to support our cooperation in the future (e.g. exchanging volunteers within the European Commission
BUILDING EUROPE TOGETHER! 35 For more information: Ruzanna Ivanyan [email protected] 4.6 More Attention Please! SERBIA Organisation Omladinska Nevladina Organizacija ONO • To establish common particularities and specific needs of the Dates 19 July - 27 July 2008 young people with disability using an intercultural approach; Number of Participants 24 + 9 Youth Information Workers Youth Information Tool Art, sports, working with animals, activism • To enable young people with disability to feel able to participate Project Theme Social inclusion, participation and equal opportunities more confidently in their society. For the non-disabled young people to become less judgmental of disability. Description Impact The Youth exchange entitled “More Attention, Please!” is a project about social inclusion, participation and equal opportunities. It With this project, we wanted to create one of the first steps to gathered 33 young people with fewer opportunities, cerebral palsy inclusive society in our local communities. So, the impact was and Down syndrome, but also young people without a disability, changing the public opinion and its attitude towards people with from Serbia and Slovenia. The venue of the youth exchange was disability and fewer opportunities. in an ethno camp in Mali Idjos/ Palic (Serbia). The main aim of this project was to encourage the participation and social inclusion of On the other side, the direct inclusion of people with disability and young people through art, music, sport activities, work with animals, fewer opportunities was meant to increase their self-confidence, practicing different skills etc. Participants had a chance to work self-esteem and self-initiative. To achieve that, the young disabled and spend time together, to learn about and to share each other’s people’s participation in this YE supported youth in their daily culture and to break down personal and cultural barriers. situations of facing any kind of discrimination. Also, we thought that we encouraged young people without disability to give support. This youth exchange gathered 24 young people as participants. From each country we had 10 young people and 4 participating The impact on young participants is related, also, to the impact volunteers, who also acted as personal assistants. In each country on the local communities. We are, however, expecting the positive group, 5 people had some kind of disability and the other 5 were reaction to the physical activities and sports to be one of the most from marginalized groups (Roma’s, young people from orphanages, important ways towards independent life. young people who have problems at home – sexual abuse, violence etc.) Activities, such as art and psychological workshops, trust and teambuilding games, would encourage them after returning to Main objectives their homes to promote youth exchanges and meeting of different cultures. • To enable young people (especially young people with a disability) feel the positive benefits of participation and inclusion; Evaluation
• To create deeper understanding of youngsters with disability With this project, young people with disabilities were enabled to among their peers and to build up their confidence in playing an feel the benefits of participation and inclusion; they gained more active role in society; confidence in their society, increased their mobility and developed their sense of citizenship and mutual understanding.
MORE ATTENTION PLEASE! 36 For more information: Ljiljana Cumura Zizic [email protected] 4.7 Vocational guidance for young people with disabilities FRANCE Organisation CIDJ France In 2010 and 2011, this information will include all vocational Dates Test phase in 2009; education and training sectors. Staff from Regional Information main project in 2010, further development in 2011. Centres (CRIJ) will be trained to welcome and inform young people Number of Participants Disabled young people living in Ile-de-France with disabilities in their centres. Youth Information Tool School forums The visibility of this service was ensured through a press conference Description launched on 15 December 2009, in the presence of the Secretary of State in charge of the Family and Solidarity. Specialist and generalist The CIDJ is a place dedicated to the provision of a welcoming press coverage was important. Contacts with NGOs working in the environment and of a wide range of information to all young people, field of disability were established. including those with disabilities. The requests from disabled young people for vocational information and advice are as intense Evaluation and complex as those of all young people. But young people with disabilities are confronted to an additional obstacle in the search for 2500 visitors/month on the page dedicated to disabled young people an education: they do not know if and how “ordinary” educational on the CIDJ website www.cidj.com. institutions are equipped with facilities adapted to their disability.
To meet their demands, the CIDJ has:
• Trained youth information workers, counsellors and psychologists, who receive young people on-site, to provide suitable and welcoming conditions for disabled young people. This training programme allows these professionals to downplay the specificities of their interaction with disabled young people while being perfectly well aware and informed of the problems and constraints related to disabilities. All informants are then prepared in their usual routine to receive young people with disabilities at any time, without appointment and anonymously. As it is the case with any young person. And without stigma.
• Listed all training institutions located in Ile-de-France in the fields of banking, insurance and finance and analyzed their level of accessibility for sensory-motor disabled people. The information was retrieved through an electronic questionnaire submitted to approximately one hundred schools, and the results are published on the site www.cidj.com, on the sub-section “young people with disability”.
VOCATIONAL GUIDANCE FOR YOUNG PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES 37 For more information: Catherine de Labarre [email protected] 4.8 Further references
Council of Europe (1994) Outreach. Proceedings. Symposium organised by the Council of Europe and the World Health Organization (Council of Europe Press)
European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction (2001), Guidelines for the evaluation of outreach work. A manual for outreach practitioners. http://www.emcdda.europa.eu/publications/manuals/outreach
Firmstone, V. (1998) An Evaluation of the Wesley Castle Information and Coffee Shop for Young People and the Three Estates Youth Information Shop and Detached Project, Birmingham: Southern Birmingham Community Health NHS Trust/Westhill College of Higher Education.
France, A. and Wiles, P. (1996) The Youth Action Scheme: A report of the national evaluation, London, DfEE.
Furlong, Andy, Cartmel, Fred, and alii. (1997) “Evaluating youth work with vulnerable young people”Youth Education and Employment University of Glasgow. Research Unit Scottish Council for Research in Education Edinburgh: Scottish Council for Research in Education.
Jeffs, T. and Smith, M. (2002) ‘Individualisation and Youth Work’ in Youth and Policy, 76.
Kaufman, S. (2001) ‘Detached Youth Work’ in eds. F. Factor, V. Chauhan and J. Pitts The RHP Companion to Working with Young People, Lyme Regis: Russell House Publishing
Platt, A. M. (1969) The Child Savers: The invention of delinquency, London: University of Chicago Press.
Podschun G. D. (1993) “Teen Peer Outreach-Street Work Project: HIV prevention education for runaway and homeless youth”. Public Health Rep.; 108(2): 150–155.
Rhodes, T. (1996) Outreach work with drug users: Principles and practice, Council of Europe Publishing
Svensson Njål Petter. (2003) “Outreach Work with Young People, Young Drug Users and Young People at Risk” Pompidou Group, Strasbourg, October.
The Prince’s Trust. “Thinking on Your Feet”, http://www.youthlink.co.uk/webs/245/documents/1DetachedIntroduction.pdf (accessed on 25/5/2010)
Wagner, G. (1979) Barnardo, London: Weidenfeld and Nicolson.
38 FURTHER REFERENCES
eryica.org
EUROPEAN YOUTH INFORMATION AND COUNSELLING AGENCY PLACE DE LA GARE, 26 L-1616 LUXEMBOURG